Journal box



April 22, 1941. R a CQTTRELL 2,239,646

JOURNAL BOX Fild June so, 1939 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 22, 1941 JOURNAL Box Robert B. Cottrell, Chicago, 111., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., ."a cor'pora-' tion of New Jersey Application June so, 1939, Serial No. 282,123

4 Claims.

My invention relates to railway journal boxes and more particularly to a novel form of box which is afforded resilient means of support. In the usual connection of the journal end of a wheel and axle assembly to the journal box there is employed a brass or bearing which rides upon the journal end of the axle, and supported on the brass is a wedge member which in turn is seated against the top of the journal box. In such a structure the journal box is supported on the journal end through .metal to metal contacts. My novel arrangement affords a resilient connection betweenthe journal box and the end of the axle, thus reducing the unsprung weight of the truck as well as eliminating a portion of the noise and vibration.

,An object of my invention is to design a novel form of connection between the journal end of a railway wheel and axle assembly and the associated journal box which will overcome certain disadvantages inherent in the connection now commonly used by making the journal box and members supported thereon parts of the sprung weight rather than being unsprung as is customary.

A further object is to design such a novel form of journal box connection as will reduce or dampen the noise and vibration commonly resulting from the use of metal to metal contacts in such structures.

My invention contemplates, such an arrangement that will incorporate the best manufacturing practices and a structure which will meet the standard requirements and operating conditions of railroads.

My invention is illustrated in ing drawing wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a journal box structure embodying my invention, showing also fragmentary portions of the truck frame and wheel and axle assembly;

the accompany- Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure l, partlyin section, the section being taken substantially in the vertical longitudinal plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view in the vertical transverse plane bisecting the journal box structure as indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2.

Describing the structure in detail, the truck frame member 2 is a fragmentary portion of a well known form of truss type side frame in which the journal box 4 is commonly formed as an integral part thereof. The journal box follows in general the usual standard form with the inboard wall 6 having the vertical slot 8 accommodating the dust guard III, the bottom of said boX forming a well I2 for accommodation of the usual oil waste or other lubricating material. At the outboard end of the box is formed the mouth or opening, l4 affording access for repair parts or lubricating materials and at the top of said opening are formed the usual hinge lugs l6, l6 affording a connection for the journal box lid (not shown). The rear wall 6 has the oval opening i8 through which projects the journal end 20 of the axle 22, said journal end having at its extremity the usual annular flange 24 serving as an abutment at 2.6 for'the outer end .of the brass 28. The brass 28 is of usual form having the inner lining'3ll of babbitt or other material. On the brass 28.is my novel form of Wedge 32, the central portion of which has bearing on the top of the brass as best seen at 34 (Figures 2 and 3), said wedge having at its sides a configuration affording a close fit with the chamfered lateral edges of the brass as indicated at 36 and 38 (Figure 2), thus confining said wedge to axial sliding movement with respect to said brass in the usual manner. Both the wedge 32 and the brass 28 are closely confined between the brass lugs 40, 40 formed in the standard manner on the side walls of the journal box.

The top of the wedge 32 is projected upwardly in rectangular form above the shoulders 42, 42 and fitted within the inner recess 44 formed on the top wall of the journal box, and overlying said wedge Within said recess I have provided a resilient cushion 46. Said resilient cushion 46 is I retained in said recess by the positioning means or lugs 48, 48 (Figure 1), the ends of said lugs serving as abutments for the top of the wedge block, thus limiting the compression to which the resilient member 46 may be subjected and, so, preventing its deterioration by overloading.

Relative axial movement of the wedge with respect to the journal box is limited by the upwardly projecting rectangular portion of the wedge which is received within the cavity or recess 44 in the top wall of the box and may abut the reinforced margins thereof as at 50 and 52 (Figure 3); and axial movement in one direction between the wedge and the brass is limited by engagement of the inner edge of the wedge with the upwardly projecting annular flange 54 at the inner edge of the brass,

It will be understood that the pad of resilient material 46 as shown in the drawings is compressed under normal load and is therefore flattened out approximately to cover the area of the cavity 44. When removed from load the resilient pad is considerably thicker, thus affording room for its lateral expansion under :compression.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will of course .be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck, a frame member, a wheel and axle, a journal end on said axle, a journal box [associated with said frame as a means of connection between said journal end and said frame member, said box having a top wall with an inner cavity, a resilient pad fixed therein, a journal bearing seated on said journal end, a wedge block supported on said bearing and projecting into said cavity to afford a seat for said resilient pad, whereby metal to metal :contact under direct load is eliminated between said journal box and said journal end, and interengaging means on said top Wall and said block limiting the degree of compression to which said intervening resilient pad may be compressed.

2. In a vehicle, a frame member, a wheel and axle having a journal end, a housing forming a means of connection between said frame member and said journal end, said housing having a top wall formed with an inner cavity, resilient means supported therein, .a journal bearing and a wedge interposed between said journal end and said resilient means, positioning means on said wedge having engagement with means on said top wall to limit relative movement therebetween in a horizontal plane, and interengaging means on said top Wall and said block limiting the degree of compression to which said intervening resilient means may be compressed.

3. In a vehicle, a frame member, a wheel and axle having a journal end, a housing associated with said frame member as a means of connection between said member and said journal end, said housing having a top wall with an inner cavity, resilient means seated in said cavity, said resilient means having a normal area, relatively small as compared to said cavity, to permit expansion of said means under compression within said cavity, a journal bearing and a wedge interposed between said journal end and said resilient means, whereby direct loads from said frame member to said journal end are afiorded resilient support, and stop means on said housing affording abutment with said wedge to limit the compression of said resilient means therebetween.

4. In a railway car truck, a frame comprising a side member, a wheel and axle assembly, a journal box affording connection between the journal end of said axle and said frame, said box comprising atop wall with an inner cavity, a journal bearing seated on said journal end, a wedge member positioned on said bearing and having an upwardly projecting portion closely fitting into said cavity, a resilient pad seated on said wedge within said cavity, said pad having a normal area relatively small in comparison with the area of said cavity to permit expansion therein under compression, and means on said top wall projecting downwardly for engagement with said wedge member to limit the degree of compression to which said pad may be subjected.

ROBERT B. COTTRELL. 

